Man sought in Monroe death has history of assaults

Daniel Tepfer

Updated 3:48 pm, Monday, September 8, 2014

Thomas Fischer, 48, was arrested on Monday Sept. 8, 2014 by the Monroe Police Department and charged with violating a protective order. The warrant stems from the continuing investigation into the death of Jennifer Sredzinski last month.

Thomas Fischer, 48, was arrested on Monday Sept. 8, 2014 by the...

Jennifer Sredzinski died Aug. 28 at Bridgeport Hospital three days after she was found lying in a pool of blood in the parking lot outside her Monroe condo.
Photo: Contributed Photo, Contributed Photo

MONROE -- A Trumbull man sought for questioning by police in connection with last week's "suspicious" death of the ex-wife of a state representative candidate had been arrested for assaulting her three months earlier in Virginia.

Thomas Fischer, 47, had a protection order against him ordering him to stay away from Jennifer Sredzinski of Monroe.

On Aug. 28, Sredzinski, 41, died at Bridgeport Hospital three days after she was found bloodied on the ground in the parking lot of the Hills of Monroe condominium complex.

No arrests have been made and police are not saying Fischer is a suspect, although police sources have said they have been seeking to question Fischer and obtained a warrant to search his pickup truck for evidence linking him to Sredzinski's death.

"I'm getting scared because I don't know what this is all about," said Eleanor Winters, a neighbor of Sredzinski's. "People in our complex are very upset."

Monroe police have not returned multiple calls for updates on the case.

"While I can't comment on a pending investigation I want to assure all residents they are safe and that the police department is doing their very best in the case," said First Selectman Steve Vavrek. "They are working hard and have a lot of people on it."

Sredzinski worked as an emergency call dispatcher and is the ex-wife of town council President J.P. Sredzinski, who is running for state representative for Monroe.

J.P. Sredzinski did not return calls for comment on the case.

On May 31, Fischer was arrested by the Spotsylvania, Va., sheriff's department for attacking Jennifer Sredzinski there. He was charged with assault and battery and strangulation, police said.

After spending several days in jail, Fischer, who works as a heating and air conditioning contractor, was released in that case after a protective order requiring him to stay away from Sredzinski was put in place.

Last December, Fischer, formerly of Perth Street in Trumbull, was arrested by Trumbull officers after they said he threatened to kill his then-wife and teenaged daughter.

He was charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree threatening.

Fischer had been intoxicated and threatened to kill both his wife and daughter in their sleep, according to a Trumbull police report.

Police said the wife hid Fischer's .38-caliber handgun under a couch and then called them. Police seized the handgun and two rifles also found in the home.

Fischer was later given a suspended sentence on a reduced charge of second-degree breach of peace after completing a domestic violence program, court record show.